SPECIFIC GOALS: None
GENERAL GOALS: Have fun, journal what I'm doing in the gym, for cardio, and letting others know on occasion what I'm eating/cooking.
I've been lifting essentially non-stop my whole adult life. Some seasons include more focus, more intensity, more volume, and more frequency than others, but I've stayed after it for 30+ years so I'm fairly certain that I've hit my genetic limit by now I'll try to add videos and photos from time to time to make it a little more interesting.
I have lifted in my home gym for the last 15 years, but I have been going to a public gym with my wife some recently, and I've really been enjoying the change. In fact, we have a "date" after work tonight: gym and then to a coffee shop for reading (oh yeah: I like to read when I'm not lifting, biking, or spending time with my family). Due to old injuries, some exercises are a no-go for me (e.g., deadlifts, dips), and I typically do ~3 full-body workouts per week and each workout typically includes a press, a pull (usually a chin/pull-up type of exercise), and a leg/glute exercise. I haven't done any Crossfit-type workouts in a while, but I do enjoy that sort of thing, so maybe I'll throw in a Cindy or a Murph or other type of workout (Reeves Challenge, Poundstone curls, etc) on occasion.
I currently let my intensity vary with typically only one workout done per week with a few of those sets to failure. Other workouts are done with medium intensity where I leave a rep or two "in the tank" or done with an exercise that by nature forces me to use less weight (e.g., OHP or DB Hex Presses) than the classical variants.
My weight is typically 170's and bodyfat is 12-14% with 4-pack visible in the morning. I've been leaner, and while the more defined 6-pack is nice, that level of leanness results in a very gaunt face--not just chemo-thin or POW-thin but POW-on-chemo thin
So, here goes
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06-01-2018, 08:29 AM #1
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Payton's Lifting, Cardio, and Food Journal
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06-01-2018, 08:34 AM #2
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Here's a video that I made about two weeks ago. I've had some shoulder issues and haven't flat-benched in quite some time, but I did then and I still have some residual "discomfort" :eek" two weeks later (smh). So here are 5 reps with 225 while weighing 173 lbs:
That's nearly a 260# 1RM. When I posted this in my old journal, I wrote my single rep max days are over, but in light of the discomfort that hasn't left me entirely even to this day, maybe all of my flat-benching days are over. For the last several years, I've been doing incline benching only, and most of that has been with dumbbells. Right or wrong, I feel as if the incline bench positively changed the shape of my chest better than years of flat benching could.
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06-01-2018, 09:11 AM #3
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06-01-2018, 10:19 AM #4
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Not sure if you're familiar with the RPE system (i.e., the rate of perceived exertion where RPE 10 means a max effort with NOTHING left to give, RPE 9 means you probably could have gotten one more rep, RPE 8 means two more reps, etc.), but someone recently challenged my thinking with their assertion that your gains will be essentially the same if you never exceed RPE 9 AND your recovery will be better. The second half of the statement IMO is self-evident, but the first half needs pondering. By keeping the first work set to RPE 9, the volume on subsequent sets will be greater (which I know to be true for me) and VOLUME is one of the factors that drive hypertrophy. It's like when you attempt a max number of reps in a finite period of time (e.g., max number of pull-ups in two minutes)--you never go to failure for your first set because it takes too much out of you for the next sets.
Thanks for following along!
And as far as food goes, I'll post my first tip I like the tomato basil wraps from Ole Mexican Foods (https://www.amazon.com/Ole-Xtreme-We.../dp/B075711NHJ), and I stumbled across this the other day when I was called away from the table immediately after making my wrap (and you can put ANYTHING in it: chicken/salsa/cheese/sour-cream, ham/cheese, even salmon/onion/Cajun-seasoning). I normally make a wrap and it's in my belly 90 seconds later but I have to sorta fight to keep the food IN the wrap. But I discovered that if I let the wrap set for a few minutes (putting the final end down so that the weight of the food keeps it from un-rolling) that I have a more "stable" wrap to eat . . . something more like you'd expect if you bought a burrito or something from a fastfood restaurant.
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06-01-2018, 05:54 PM #5
In Mark
Always good to see us oldies still training regularly ... I think at our age most guys carry old injuries that restrict what we can do but the key is the commitment we have to do a 'work around' and keep on challenging. In a way, having to back off from benching means finding more interesting ways of doing upper body work, and let's face it: benching is boring
And I'm jealous of your 'date' in the gym ....Last edited by fittofattofit; 06-01-2018 at 06:01 PM.
"Better to wear out than rust out!"
Squat 165kg/363lbs
Deadlift 190kg/418lbs
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06-01-2018, 06:54 PM #6
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Andrew,
I look forward to your sage input Regarding my date, I'm really proud of my wife. She's lost a bunch of weight and she has actually enjoyed going to the gym with me. She worked out hard enough tonight to have a sweat ring around her t-shirt that prompted me to message a photo of it to her brother. But I've adopted a mindset recently repeated (I don't know who mentioned it first) by Dan John who said we should disassociate exercise with weightloss. EVERYONE should exercise whether you need to lose weight or not, because it's just good for you. So even if her weightloss stalls (and it has somewhat), she's to be commended for strengthening her heart.
Oh yeah, you can expect the occasional ghetto-gym equipment. I've actually got some components recommended by CPW that I should be ready to "unveil" within a week or so
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06-01-2018, 07:02 PM #7
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
6/1/18 Public Gym Workout
Incline Smith Bench Press
185x15 (rpe 10)
185x10
185x10
185x10
Neutral Grip Chins
BWx14
BWx12
BWx10
BWx9
Leg Extension (done rest-pause)
110x15, 12, 10, 8 (30 sec pause between sets)
110x14, 12, 9, 8
I would prefer to do something like a front squat for legs, but I just don't like the feel of a front squat done on the Smith, and this public gym doesn't have free weights. The dumbbells only go to 75#, and I have occasionally done Goblet Squats with a 75, but my squat numbers have NEVER been impressive . . . never even average TBH
After counting macros most days for 5-6 years, for whatever reason I just have no interest in doing that hardly ever. I will occasionally count, but I've probably counted less than 3 days in the past 3 months.
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06-01-2018, 09:15 PM #8
- Join Date: Mar 2015
- Location: Nevada, United States
- Posts: 10,022
- Rep Power: 101773
Oh, this is gonna be good!
First, the bench press looked really strong, even if you didn't like it, I did! Second, I'm a big fan of ghetto gym, and every time I see someone doing strength exercises with what looks to be improvised equipment, I'm transfixed. Third, I agree that diet and exercise should generally be considered separately. They do affect one another, but that's a secondary consideration. Fourth, it's fantastic that you and your wife are doing this together. And it looks like your son is part of it too. That's a family activity that will have long-term benefits on every level.
What a positive thread!“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
-Voltaire
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06-02-2018, 05:13 AM #9
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06-02-2018, 05:56 AM #10
I have seen folks referring to the RPE scale a number of times, can't wrap my mind around it. I do a lot of complexes that reinforce/teach skill, they are technique oriented...that comes first...then weight. So the way I am doing things is when it "gets too easy" and I don't come close to a miss, or execution is bang on then I add some weight. You progress on the lifts you make, and with the snatch; being off by and 1" at 70% or more will cause a miss...so why push the weight? Currently I am only testing my competition lift once every month or so, and i go by feel when I do it. It can take many months of cycles to add a few kgs to a lift like the snatch (at 52...cant forget that). I am progressing on the squats pretty much the same way, when I can do 3 sets of 3 easily...getting deep, its time to add a couple of kgs. No Rush
I love burritos and wraps, but at this time I have removed tortillas from my diet, I have no room for the calories (or sodium)...so I am jealous. I have a long way to go till I see that 4 pack in the morningPlease record my time/reps if I pass out
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06-02-2018, 06:03 PM #11
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
I'm not sure RPE could be applied to the technical lifts, but they work very well IMO for all bench variants including both barbell and dumbbell. I'm almost never wrong when I think I can get one last rep when benching, because (usually) when I try for that next rep that it's a struggle to get it--but I do--and then there's no doubt that NO additional reps should be attempted.
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06-02-2018, 06:23 PM #12
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Biking is my favorite mode of cardio, and I got a 10 mile ride in today. I live in the country, and the above is a wheat field that'll probably be harvested and replaced with either soybeans or corn in the next few weeks.
Lifting is my priority, so I limit my rides to ~3x per week and for 1 hour or less per ride. I have a Cateye computer on my bike (although they do refer to it as a "computer," it's the size of a book of matches and only costs $25 but through a wired sensor it provides you with current/max/average speeds, total distance, trip distance, elapsed time, and a clock) and the Cateye indicates that the odometer just passed 400 miles this year. I would like to ride 1000 miles this year, and I'm approximately on track to do that.
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06-03-2018, 01:51 AM #13
^^^ all very true!
It is nice to feel fit but there is a big range of bodyfat where you can be healthy and also a point where being too lean knocks your hormones and takes away a lot of your joint cushioning.
And I'm very keen to see what equipment you come up with
That's some massive volume on the smith incline ... 15 rep set is alpha and 14 rep chins ain't bad
I have enjoyed back squats in the smith machine in the past ... allowed me to play with a wider stance
I've only ever managed to count macros for about 2 weeks at a time ... long enough to get heading in the right direction but I find calorie counting very tedious
What a beautiful place to be able to cycle ... beats urban streets!"Better to wear out than rust out!"
Squat 165kg/363lbs
Deadlift 190kg/418lbs
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06-03-2018, 04:45 PM #14
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Here's a before and after. This is version 1.0, but I have to tweak it some to make it a bit smoother.
I MIGHT try back squats at some point in the future based on what you posted. I think our Smith machine isn't perfectly vertical, and I tried front squats and it just didn't seem right to me.
Thanks, and you're right. Unless my wife and I have to look at some type of specialized housing when we're much older, our plan is to stay here forever.
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06-04-2018, 07:08 PM #15
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
The first Monday of the month at Planet Fitness means pizza night
June 4 2018 Workout At Public Gym
Inc DB Bench
75'sx18
75'sx15
Hex DB Press
55'sx12
55'sx12
Pull-ups (some done as neutral grip)
BWx14 (neutral)
BWx10
BWx13 (video now added below)
BWx9
Leg Extensions
2 giant sets of 4 mini-sets done rest-pause
Last edited by Payton1221; 06-05-2018 at 04:07 AM.
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06-04-2018, 10:45 PM #16
- Join Date: Mar 2015
- Location: Nevada, United States
- Posts: 10,022
- Rep Power: 101773
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06-04-2018, 10:47 PM #17
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06-05-2018, 04:10 AM #18
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Maybe you're right about it being inherent or learned, but I do know (most of the time) when I have another rep in me and when I don't.
Good thing . . . because I went back for seconds I'm also a bit of a bro when it comes to my nutrition, and right or wrong, I had ~4oz of chicken breast waiting on me in the car too
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06-07-2018, 05:07 AM #19
I greatly enjoyed your opening post, I believe you've got many nods of approval and sympathy by all who read it, and I am definitely one of them.
I think RPE system you adopted is a great concept, before that many had been arguing endlessly about which is better "to failure" or "not to failure", that narrow definition of black and white. Physical training is not judged by binary system, never about good or bad, neither zero nor one. Also it depends on for or to whom. I myself rotate, 5x5, 10xn, 8x3, and so on, try not to seek linear progression. At my age, it would only invite the injuries otherwise I could avoid. It all depends on my physical conditions on that particular day. I used to plan ahead, but stopped doing that because I realized my body no longer can follow the plan my mind dreams every time. The first few lifts of the day usually give me enough ideas what I should and safely could do "Today". *Well, it's not perfect for I get injured myself yet now and then.
I think you still can do benching 225lbs x 6 or more, just not every workout. We all train looking forward to that day, and that we are allowed to dream everyday.
A Great Journal my friend. Lift, ride and eat(?) safely and have great times with your great family! *bow*🌺 Lauren Brooks Kelly (snailsrus) - Jul 25, 1991 – Jan 29, 2022
Thread: RIP Snails : https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=181070293&page=100
⭐ Samurai Break: 140kg(308lb) Failed Bench Press Recovery Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8eIkpZ29u0
⭐ Over 35 Journals > Samurai, Without Ever Having Felt Sorry For Itself:
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4832373&page=200
📌 Please Call me Kaz, a 64-year-old 🥋 Karate Kid in Tokyo.
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06-07-2018, 07:38 AM #20
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Thanks Kaz!
Regarding rides, I managed ~45-50 minute rides both Tuesday and Wednesday. My wife and I are going to the gym tonight (and coffee shop later where I'm still reading Atlas Shrugged), and if we get home in time then I'll challenge my son to a Prowler competition: to the end of the driveway and back for time
Kaz, I don't know how things are in Japan, but if we ever want to throw anything way with at least some value, all we have to do is set it by the end of the driveway. My wife had an old 1x7 bike that she said should be thrown away. I set it by the end of the driveway with a sign that said FREE. In the time that it took me to walk back to the garage; get my water bottle; go to the kitchen and fill the bottle with ice water; by the time I was on my bike and headed out for my ride HER BIKE WAS GONE! I then set a second bike out (an old one that I no longer use), and it too was gone before nightfallPull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-07-2018, 09:04 AM #21
Hey Payton
Just checking in to see how you are doing with this, looks like you got it set up. Make sure the chain is good and tight, it will jump if its loose, and you could part the chain. Also the wheel only works one way....so you can walk it backwards, or re position the unit. It takes some practice to keep it straight I found..but you can force one side or another to do do, after two uses I think I have it down.Please record my time/reps if I pass out
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06-07-2018, 09:25 AM #22
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
For once in my life, luck was on my side. I noticed the one-way wheel phenomenon AFTER I installed it, but luckily, I arbitrarily chose correctly. And you're right about the chain jumping. It did after my quick install, but the next day, I loosened up the wheel, pulled the chain tight, and then reinstalled. It works like a champ now
Thanks again for all of your input.Pull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-08-2018, 06:01 AM #23
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
The inaugural run with the Prowler was a bit of a disappointment. I challenged my son to see who could push to the end of our long driveway and back the fastest. I wanted to go first so that he would know the time to beat, and before I made it back (one heck of a workout though!!!), the chain was jumping AND I somehow put a hole in the tire (100% srs). I might just have the tire filled with a foam (done locally and we've already had all four of our riding mower's tires done this way) to ensure this doesn't happen again. The jumping chain phenomenon might be due to the wooden structure that I use instead of the significantly more rigid steel one. Not sure what the cause is but I know that I'll get it fix eventually. But as I already mentioned, it was a tough workout and I had to cease running and had to start walking the last 20' or so (which maybe not coincidentally is at a slight incline).
I see people post occasionally about struggling to get enough protein. I'm sure that I eat more protein than what's necessary, but I happen to like these foods and my cholesterol numbers are very good (especially the Total/HDL and the Trig/HDL ratios that more people are considering to be really significant). But here's the staple of my protein consumption on a weekly basis: hamburger (90/10), chicken, salmon patties (with white sauce ), and lunchmeat (deli turkey and deli ham):
Pull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-08-2018, 04:50 PM #24
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Last night's (6/7/18) Workout
Seated DB OHP
50's x 12
50's x 12
50's x 12
50'x x 20
Pull-ups
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 13 (this was done neutral grip)
Leg Extensions (done Rest-Pause w/30 sec rest)
115 x 15, 11, 8, 8
115 x 15, 11, 8, 8
This was to be a medium intensity workout so I purposefully left a few reps in the tank on the OHP and pull-ups, but on that last OHP set I went to failure to see how much "more" I had in me. Looks like I can go up to 55's if not 60's when I redo this workout.
Tonight's (6/8/18) Bike Ride
I rode 11 miles bringing my odometer to 427 miles year to date.Pull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-10-2018, 01:25 AM #25
Ha ... that is awesome! I'm way too much of a klutz to make something like that and then tweak it so that it actually worked!
I know what you mean about some smith machines being slightly angled ... I use those with the angle behind me so that I sit into it, but when I squat in the smith I make sure that the bar is tight in a high bar position and that my feet are well and truly grounded flat and I concentrate on feeling the weight right over the centre of the foot during the whole movement
Just can't conceive of a gym serving pizza
Really impressive DB pressing Mark ... 75s x 18 is massive. Smashed out those pull-ups as well
Love it when 'medium intensity' means pumping out a set of 50 x 20 DB OHPs"Better to wear out than rust out!"
Squat 165kg/363lbs
Deadlift 190kg/418lbs
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06-11-2018, 07:09 PM #26
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
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06-11-2018, 07:19 PM #27
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
Here are the workouts from Saturday (done at home) and tonight (at Planet Pizza . . . I mean Planet Fitness).
Saturday (6/9/2018):
Incline DB Bench
90's x 12 (video below)
90's x 10
90's x 9
90's x 8
Ring Chins
BW x 12
BW x 12
Inverted Rows
BW x 25
BW x 25
Front Squat
135 x 8*
135 x 8*
* My wrist was hurting somewhat, but don't let that make you think my weights x reps are what they are. My squat numbers have always been poor. 135 x 8 is not a max effort, but 135 x 12 probably would be
Tonight (6/11/2018):
Smith Incline
200 x 8
200 x 7
200 x 6
150 x 17
Pull-Ups (neutral grip)
BW x 14
BW x 12
BW x 10
BW x 11
Leg Extension (rest-pause w/30 sec bet mini-sets)
110 x 18, 10, 8, 6
110 x 16, 10, 8, 8Pull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-14-2018, 05:33 AM #28
- Join Date: Oct 2010
- Location: Indiana, United States
- Age: 57
- Posts: 5,335
- Rep Power: 124620
June 13 Workout
Incline DB Press done rest-pause
70's x 18, 8, 3 w/30 sec rest
70's x 15, 8, 5 w/45 sec rest
70's x 13, 8, 8 w/60 sec rest
Neutral Grip Ring Chins (superset with DB OHP)
BW x 13
BW x 12
BW x 11
DB OHP
40's x 8
35's x 12
35's x 12
Legs--Rode my bike
The rest-pause exercise was done to see if I experience the soreness that I do with the leg extensions. I can't explain it, but I'm never sore. My frequency of all body parts prevent me from getting doms, but I've noticed my legs after leg extensions done rest-pause is the exception and I can't explain it. I'd like to think that it means something good is happening from a hypertrophy standpoint. So last night I did something similar with my chest exercise. You'll notice that I had to manipulate the rest between mini-sets as I wasn't sure what the rest period was. The 30 sec duration for the first set was too short IMO due to how quickly the reps fell off. FWIW, as I type this ~12 hours post workout, there's no soreness, but the workout was solid and I felt like I provided ample stimulus for my chest.
Regarding the DB OHP, my dominant (right) arm has always been stronger, but doing the DB OHP immediately after the ring chins really accentuated the difference. When I stopped the first set with 8 reps (which was ~failure for my left arm), I think I could have managed another 3-4 reps with my right!Pull-Up PR: https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=177233951
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06-14-2018, 11:49 AM #29
The chain tension is critical. I pulled back very hard on the motor while someone else tightened the bolts, I am going to add an adjustable tensioner on mine at some point, although I have not run into any loosening yet. Thats funny about walking the last 20' ...me too!
I find that my food choices sometimes leave me with no calories left in the daily budget, while I am still a bit short on protein. I try for 0.7g per lb of target body weight. Definitely food prep in advance helps. I buy boneless chicken when its on sale and cook a huge batch in the oven and break it all up into 100g portions then freeze it. If I cook extra steak or lean beef patties they never make it to the freezer..the kids consume them too quickly!
Strong DB Bench work!, I have never tried that movement
The front squat: do you grip the bar with a closed hand, or carry it on your fingertips while its wedged just below your neck? The full grip is difficult for a lot of people and I dont think is necessary unless some sort of overhead press is part of the whole movement. Keeping the elbows up and having an upright posture is easier if you just do the fingertip thing. I have also seen people holding the bar up with straps that they hold in a fist. Anyway the fact that you are doing front squats at PF makes you different .Please record my time/reps if I pass out
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06-15-2018, 09:37 PM #30
- Join Date: Mar 2015
- Location: Nevada, United States
- Posts: 10,022
- Rep Power: 101773
That's an interesting experiment! Those supersets definitely are killer. They usually take all I have.
I think everybody has a left-right strength imbalance, it's more noticeable for some than others. That's one of the reasons I don't do too many two-dumbell exercises, I'm likely to fall over on one side by the time I'm done. I can tell on bench presses though, when I'm really straining on the last rep, that the bar wants to move to the right.“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
-Voltaire
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